Google July 2021 Core Update Starts Rolling Up

Google began rolling out the July 2021 core update on July 1, approximately one month after the June 2021 core update rollout. A major difference between the two was that the June 2021 core update required more time to roll out and have influence.

Yet significant effects of the July 2021 core update were evident almost immediately. A site hit by either one of these updates could experience a major impact on its Google organic traffic. Data experts who track Google search results tend to agree that although the July update had an immediate impact, the June update was actually bigger.

Major Facts Concerning the Latest Google Core Updates

Primary facts about the Google July 2021 core update and other previous updates include the following:

• Data experts who track Google search results tend to agree that although the July 2021 core update had an immediate impact, the June update was actually bigger.
• Google started the rollout of the July 2021 core update at about noon on July 1. This update was expected to require about one week to complete the rollout.
• The June 2021 core update began rolling out at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 2. This was a global update that was not specific to any one location, language or category of websites. As a “broad core update,” it was the traditional type that Google releases every few months.
• During the last month, there were around ten Google updates, yet only three of those did not have Google confirmation.

Statements from Data Providers on the July 2021 Update

Statements released by data providers pertaining to the Google July 2021 core update are as follows:

From Semrush:

Semrush stated that the July 2021 core update was unique because it lacked any displays of prolonged time periods of intense rank fluctuations. Yet, in contrast to the June 2021 update, the July update did not show signs of a lag between Google’s announcement and the effect on rankings. Semrush’s sensor tool indicated a 9.4 spike the day following the update’s announcement.

Semrush reports that the June 2021 core update exhibited notably higher increases in rank volatility. These increases in rank volatility were approximately 42 percent more dramatic than the results of data that the company tracked at the onset of the July 2021 update.

From RankRanger:

RankRanger stated that the July core update, like the June update, was a major update when compared to the December 2020 update. They reported that based on the data available, the June 2021 core update could be determined to be larger than the July 2021 update by simply comparing their charts.

The SEO community offered feedback within 12 to 24 hours after the onset of the July 2021 core update rollout. All agree that it had rapid and big-scale effects.